The Hardest Choice
by Center of the Galaxy
Summary: It's been a month since John shot Sam and the boys are trying to move on with their lives. John's got other plans; however, and will stop at nothing until Sam is dead. Sam; however, won't go down without a fight and he knows he's not alone. Dean's got his back. *Sequel to "The Greatest Gift", slight AU, awesome/hurt!Sam, BigBrother/protective!Dean, caring!Bobby*
1. Close

_**Author's Note: **__Hi everyone! Welcome to the sequel to "The Greatest Gift"! I really enjoy this little universe I've created and I knew that I had to write more for this AU verse. A word of warning, if you haven't read "The Greatest Gift" you won't understand a lot of what's going on here. Please go take a look at that story, as I'll only mention the events in it briefly here. Without further ado, here's the first chapter! Please enjoy!_

* * *

A phone ringing in the dead of night is usually an indicator that something terrible had happened. A phone call at 2:30 AM usually meant that someone had been hurt or died. Normal people dreaded these phone calls. For Bobby Singer; however, phone calls at such an early hour were not an odd occurrence. He knew hunters who lived in different time zones; hell some of them lived in different countries! So, he hadn't been worried when he had answered the phone with a gruff, "Singer."

_"Bobby?"_ It was a young woman's voice, timid and scared. The older hunter racked his mind to try and place the voice on the other end of the phone, but found he could come up with nothing.

"Who the hell is this?" He growled, because if he had woken up because of a wrong number, someone was going to pay.

_"Nadine,"_ The voice answered. _"Nadine Young. We met two months ago after you helped me out on some research?"_ Bobby nodded as an image of young woman filled his mind. Nadine was new to hunting solo, but she had grown up in a family of hunters. She was experienced for a hunter of just 21 years old, but her research skills were sorely lacking; however, she was extremely polite and Bobby had been almost glad to help out. She had even bought him a drink afterward.

"Right," Bobby murmured. "Something wrong?"

_"Listen, I was wondering if you could give me some information on another hunter."_ Bobby forced himself to rise from his bed and flicked on the lights to the hall as he shuffled to desk where he kept his contact info.

"Sure," He told her. "Name?"

_"John Winchester." _

His blood ran cold. It had been almost a month since John had vanished after trying to kill Sam and he had literally fallen off the radar. No one had seen him and no one could seem to find him—Bobby included. So, what was John doing now that he had exposed himself?

"Where are you?" He forced his tone to remain calm so as to not frighten her. Last thing he wanted was for her to hang up on him.

_"Dallas, Texas,"_ She replied. _"I was in this bar, checking up on some things and he came over to me. Told me he knew I was a hunter. He said he wanted my help on something."_

"On what?" Bobby pressed, fearing the response.

_"Said he was hunting a demon that hadn't fully possessed someone. He was hoping that I could track down the host and let him know where it was." _

"And what did you tell him?" He hissed, because dammit John was still hunting Sam and was now recruiting other hunters!

_"I said no,"_ Nadine replied. _"There was something . . . off about him, Bobby." _

"Off how?"

_"Like he wasn't really all there, you know?"_ Nadine supplied and Bobby sighed. He knew. Ghost possessions did that to people.

"Listen to me," Bobby ordered. "He's dangerous. Stay away from him, Nadine."

_"Why? What's wrong with him?" _

"I don't have time to explain," He told her as he frantically grabbed his keys. "If he talks to you anymore, call me right away."

_"Bobby, what—?" _

"I got to go." He hung up and cursed loudly before practically sprinting to his truck.

Sam and Dean were in Dallas on a hunt and if John was there too . . . An image of Sam, bleeding and broken filled his mind. For the few split seconds that they had arrived at that desolate field, Bobby had thought Sam had died. Seeing Dean's anguish at finding his brother like that had broken his heart. They had been lucky that time—Sam had lived.

But would he survive another encounter with his father, especially if he had help?

Bobby couldn't risk it—those boys were just as much his as they were John's and he would risk life and limb for them.

He floored it and prayed he would make it in time.

* * *

"_I'm sorry, Sammy."_

_ The gun went off and the bullet entered his chest. Fire coursed through him and he felt like he was burning. John stood above him, sadness and grief in his eyes. Sam wanted to scream for help, but nothing would leave his lips. Why was this happening to him? What had he ever done wrong?_

_ "Dad?" He croaked and John simply shook his head before aiming the gun once more at him._

_ "You're evil, Sam," John mumbled. "This is for the best."_

_ He fired the gun again and Sam felt himself fall._

* * *

He woke up in a cold sweat, panting and blood pounding through his system. A buzz rang in his ears and Sam pinched the bridge of his nose as he fought the headache that was coming on.

"Sam?" Dean flicked on the lights and his concerned older brother was immediately by his side, helping him sit up on the bed. "Vision?"

"No," He answered with a small sigh as the headache increased two-fold. Funny, he had never gotten such a bad one with a nightmare before. Perhaps it was the lack of sleep finally getting to him? "Nightmare." He no longer needed to say what the nightmare had been about, Dean understood. A month ago his nightmares had been about Jessica burning into flames. Now, they were about John trying to kill him.

"Here, take this." Dean handed him two pills and a glass of water, which Sam gratefully took. It always amazed him how his older brother was able to know what he needed even before he did. Then again, Dean had practically raised him. It had been Dean who had taught him how to ride a bike, how to swim, even how to drive. John had only been there to force hunting techniques down his throat. His childhood had been seriously screwed up, but Dean had always been there.

Dean would always be there for him, that Sam knew for a fact.

"I'm sorry." He whispered and felt Dean stiffen beside him. Though he would never admit it, hiding from their father was taking a toll on Dean and Sam knew he missed John. Even though his older brother would always choose him over their father, Sam knew that Dean wanted to believe that the ghost possessing him caused all his actions. Sam would've liked to believe that too, but he had done research on it—ghosts could only possess a willing subject, meaning John had wanted to do this.

He had wanted the power to kill him. Even though a month had passed, that realization didn't sting any less. His father wanted him dead. His father thought he was a monster.

"Sam." Dean's tone was a warning, a sign that his brother did not want to get into this conversation.

"If I had—"

"If you had what, Sam?" Dean growled, angrily rising from the bed. Sighing, he ran a hand through his hair. "Dude, we've been over this. What Dad did to you . . . it wasn't your fault." He met his younger brother's gaze, eyes full of love and a promise to protect him no matter what. Sam opened his mouth to speak when a bolt of pain cut off all trains of thought. "Sam?" He could barely see Dean's face anymore, his vision darkening, but he felt strong arms hold him securely.

Everything blacked out.

* * *

_"The way I see it," John began, walking deliberately towards Sam, gun pointed at a figure tied to a chair. "You come with me or I'll kill her." _

_ "Dad—" Sam begged, desperation clawing at him. Why was this happening? Where had his father gone? _

_ "Don't call me that," John hissed. "You're a monster, Sam. You're nothing but one of those things we hunt. You need to be put down." The figure in the chair protested and Sam could tell that it was a young woman with vibrant red hair and sea-green eyes tied up. Panic flashed in her eyes and Sam tried to shoot her a reassuring smile. _

_ "Let her go," He forced himself to keep his voice even. The last thing he wanted was to worry the girl even more. "I'll go with you." _

_ "See, Nadine?" John told her with a sinister grin. "I said you'd be fine." The vision began to fade as Sam saw John point the gun at the girl's head. "Too bad I was lying." _

_ He shot her point blank in the head, blood flying everywhere. _

_ Blackness encompassed him once more._

* * *

"Easy," Dean soothed as Sam gasped. "Just breathe, Sam."

"A g-girl," Sam choked out. "Dad killed her to get me to come with him." He coughed violently and Dean cursed quietly.

"Save the details for now," His older brother ordered brusquely. "Focus on getting air, okay?" The youngest Winchester took some deep breaths in and tried to slow his pounding heart, but he knew what he had seen. John wouldn't stop until he got to him—even if he had to kill innocent people to do so.

"Dean—" He tried again, but his brother's cellphone interrupted him.

"Yeah?" Dean answered gruffly. "Whoa, Bobby, slow down." A pause as whatever Bobby told him sunk in. Dean's expression grew grim. "Okay. We'll stay put. See you in a few." He hung up and Sam knew that Bobby had brought bad news. Dean frowned as he faced his younger brother before finally saying, "Dad's in Dallas."

Well, wasn't this shaping up to be a great day?

* * *

_**Author's Note: **__And there we go, chapter 1! I've got lots in store for this story, so I hope you'll all stick around to see it. Please review! _


	2. Promise

_** Author's Note: **__This chapter was ridiculously hard to write. I honestly had to go back and rewrite it multiple times. Anyways, please enjoy!_

* * *

It took Sam a few seconds to process what Dean had told him. The youngest Winchester forced himself to breathe calmly and put a lid on the emotions that were threatening to consume him at the moment.

"Sammy?" Dean's voice was pleading and his brother was practically begging him to break the silence that had filled the room. Sam met his gaze, but quickly looked away, not trusting himself to hide the fear that had filled his eyes fast enough. "Say something, man." Dean took a step closer to him and Sam quickly backed up. This was all too much for him to deal with and if he let Dean come any closer to him, he couldn't trust himself to not initiate a major "chick-flick" moment.

"Bobby's coming?" His tone was steady, which surprised him, but he still avoided his big brother's gaze.

"Yeah," Dean sounded almost grateful—as if Sam talking suddenly made the situation better. "He's on his way to meet us." Sam nodded and pinched the bridge of his nose as the pain from the vision swelled within him once more. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," Sam knew his brother wasn't referring to the vision, but he pretended like he was. "So, how long has Dad been here?"

"Bobby didn't say."

"I don't like this Dean," Sam shook his head. "I mean, first my vision and now this? We've got to warn this girl, protect her—"

"Forget her," Dean interjected, voice rising in anger. "We have to get you somewhere safe, Sam."

"I'm not a baby, Dean," Sam retorted. "I can take care of myself."

"Sam—"

"We're going to find this girl," The youngest Winchester growled, his eyes flashing with determination. "Because if she gets killed because of me—"

"She won't—" Dean swore, his voice sure and confident.

"I just can't . . ." Sam voice faded away and Dean nodded his head in understanding. Sometimes, words never had to be spoken between the two. Silently, Dean crossed to his brother and placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it gently.

_I'm here. It'll be okay._

Sam nodded his head and gently tapped his brother's hand. Dean relinquished his hold Sam slowly rose from where he had been sitting and shot his brother a small smile.

_Thank you._

Dean grinned back and the tension in the room lightened up considerably. Sure, their father had found them somehow and was now plotting to kill one of them, but for this one second—this brief moment in time—the two could pretend like nothing major had changed. They could live out the fantasy that their father was missing and they were just simply hunting things. For a few hours until Bobby arrived, they could do what Winchesters did best—bury their pain and try to survive.

"So, what do you want to do?" Sam asked, his voice quiet but belied a hidden strength within.

"Just lay low until Bobby gets here," Dean replied, almost covering up the worry in his tone. "Then, figure out something with him."

"But the girl, Dean—" Sam protested.

"Look, I'm not saying that we won't go warn her," His older brother assuaged. "Just not right now. We can't take any risks." He waited for Sam's response, but his little brother just chuckled darkly. "What?"

"Dude, our lives are so screwed up," Dean had to agree to that. "We're hiding out from our dad."

"Our dad who is possessed by a ghost," The eldest Winchester amended, as if that somehow made the situation better. "Speaking of which, I think I found a lead on how to get rid of the bitch that's using dad."

"Yeah?"

"I haven't got all the details of it yet," Dean began. "But from what I can tell, if we can get Dad trapped in a circle of holy water and salt—"

A bolt of pain struck Sam's mind and the youngest Winchester gasped in surprise. Instantly, Dean's hands were on his shoulders, easing him to a more comfortable position as the vision hit.

"Dammit." Sam cursed, as his vision began to black out. He thought he heard Dean say something in response, but it was lost as Sam fell into the vision.

* * *

_"Sam," John said with a sigh. "Why are you doing this?" Sam wrapped his arms around him, trying to stop the pain that was coursing through him. They were back in the field—the same one that he had almost died in a month before. The full moon cast an ethereal glow on his father and illuminated silver knife John held in his hand. The youngest Winchester shuddered as a ghost of cold air blew through him, chilling him to his core. Blood dripped down his arm, forming a small puddle beneath him._

_ "I'm saving you, Dad." Sam informed him, pleased that he had been able to keep his tone even and calm._

_ "I don't need to be saved, son." John replied, stepping close. "You, on the other hand, you're not even human! Let me help you, let me free you." He lifted the knife and Sam felt a small tear roll down his cheek. _

_ "I'm sorry, Dad." _

_ With that, Sam pulled out the flask and splashed it on John right as his father plunged the knife into his chest. Sam's blood and the liquid mixed together and John's agonized screams filled his ears before Sam finally felt himself fall._

* * *

"Sam?" Strong arms gripped him and Sam lazily blinked a few times, trying to clear the fog out of his mind. "You with me?"

"Yeah." He whispered and his older brother helped pull him into a sitting position.

"Vision?" Dean questioned as his eyes scanned him, checking for any signs of injury.

"It was Dad," Sam explained shakily, trying not to relieve the sharp pain of the knife slicing into him. "He—" He abruptly stopped, panic streaming through his veins. Understanding, Dean patted Sam's shoulder.

"We're gonna figure this out, Sammy." His brother assured him.

"Promise?" It was childish, making Dean promise like this when there was no guarantee that his older brother would be able to help him. Still, whenever he had been worried as a child, Dean had come through, promise or no promise.

"Promise, Sammy."

And suddenly, things didn't appear to be so bleak to Sam Winchester.

* * *

_**Author's Note: **__Next chapter, Bobby arrives and the boys try to figure out how to free John! Please review if you have a second, I'd love to hear what you thought! _


	3. Running

_** Author's Note: **__I am so sorry that this took so long to get to y'all! Real life has been so busy lately! Anyways, here's another chapter! Please enjoy!_

* * *

Bobby arrived sooner than expected.

After Dean lowered the shotgun and ushered the gruff hunter into their little motel room, he went to stand beside Sam. The youngest Winchester shot the older hunter a weak grin that turned into a grimace when another bolt of pain hit his head. Two visions in a row had practically drained him and all Sam wanted to do was sleep for a month.

"You look like hell, Sam." Bobby chided softly and Sam chuckled dryly.

"I feel like it." He admitted, rubbing his temples in the hopes that some of the pain would subside. Suddenly, there was a glass of water before him and two small pills in his older brother's hand. Wordlessly, he accepted the pills and chased them down with some of the cool liquid.

"So, Dad's here?" Dean asked quietly and Bobby frowned.

"Yeah," He replied. "Got a call from a hunter in the area and she told me that your daddy tried to recruit her for a hunt."

"A hunt to get me." Sam completed softly, feeling nothing but grief wash over him. His older brother shot him a sympathetic look before facing Bobby once more.

"And did she—?" Dean questioned.

"No, she turned him down flat and then called me." The gruff hunter answered.

"But Dad is here," The youngest Winchester insisted. "And he's looking for help."

"Yeah." Bobby said softly, pain flashing in his eyes. Sam rose from the chair he was sitting in and shakily crossed to the window. Outside, the sun was beginning to rise and the rays of light were lightening up the darkened sky. The stars were slowly fading away as their lights blinked out one by one. It was shaping up to be a beautiful morning—a perfect sunrise—yet Sam couldn't help but feel trapped by it all. Nowhere was safe for him. John would always find him, would always catch up to them, no matter how hard they tried to get away. What was the point of running? Their father had so many more years of experience than they did—somehow, someway, he would always get the upper hand.

"What if I went to Dad?" Sam mused.

"Excuse me?" Dean echoed, voice tinged with fear and sheer rage. Sam continued to stare at the sunrise, though he could hear his brother crossing the short distance to stand beside him.

"I mean, if I went to Dad and gave him what he wanted, maybe we could—"

"Hell no!" His brother exploded, shouting. "Sam, Dad wants to kill you! He won't give up until we either free him from that bitch that's possessing him or he has your dead body in front of him."

"But Dean—" Sam interjected, prepared to outlast his older brother's outburst in order to explain rationally why this was the best course of action.

"I'm gonna agree with Dean on this one, Sam," Bobby began calmly, eyes never leaving the younger brother's gaze. "Your daddy is too far gone to be brought back by logic. We gotta figure out to free him from this ghost or—"

"You'll die," Dean stated firmly, gripping his brother's shoulder like it was a lifeline. "He'll kill you, Sammy."

"Dean—" Sam began softly.

"Promise me you won't do anything stupid, Sam." Dean growled.

"I can't—" Sam protested.

"Promise me!" Dean shouted, voice breaking as his eyes misted over. Sam nodded his head slowly, unwilling to be the cause of such pain.

"I promise, Dean." He opened his mouth to say more, when Bobby's phone rang, derailing his train of thought.

"Singer," Bobby answered gruffly and it brought a small grin to Sam's face. Despite the current crisis they were in, the two brothers could always count on the older hunter to remain the same Bobby that they knew and loved. "Easy there, Nadine, what's going on?"

_Nadine slumped over in the chair as blood flew everywhere from the impact of the bullet—the bullet that John had shot. The girl had died because of him, because of the lengths that John was willing to go to get Sam._

"Slow down," Bobby chided. "Who's following you? Where are you?"

"Dean," Sam whispered, trying to contain the sheer anger that was boiling within him. There was no way that this girl would die because of him! He wouldn't allow his vision to come true. "She's the girl." Dean nodded his head slowly, digesting this new piece of info.

"Nadine, listen to me, you stay in a public place, alright?" Bobby ordered calmly.

"We'll get her." Sam told him.

"Sam—" Dean tried to interject, but his younger brother waved him off.

"Just tell me where she is." Sam directed at Bobby who nodded in response.

"Nadine, I'm coming with some friends, okay?" The older hunter soothed. "You just stay put and we'll get you." The girl said something frantically on the other end of the line and Sam grimaced. This was all his fault—this girl was in trouble because of him. If it were the last thing he did, he would save her. "Hang on, Nadine." With that, Bobby hung up.

"Let's go." Sam said quietly.

They headed out.

* * *

To be honest, John Winchester had never expected to be making a deal with a ghost. It went against everything he stood for—everything he had taught his sons—but looking back on it now, it was only right decision. Sam wasn't normal. He had visions and he was going to go evil sometime soon. As his father, John had to put him down. It was the best thing he could for his son and by far the kindest. When word got out about "different" Sam was, other hunters would go after him. It was better to be killed by a family member than by a stranger.

_Death is the greatest gift._

John smirked as he nodded his head in agreement with the ghostly visitor. Across the bar, he could see poor Nadine Young anxiously staring at the door, awaiting rescue no doubt. It was too bad that she wouldn't really be saved, but her death would serve a greater purpose.

Sam's death would keep the world safe.

"Nadine." Bobby called to her as he entered the bar, Sam and Dean flanking him. John stayed out of sight—no one would see him unless he wanted him or her to—but he grinned as he laid eyes on his boys. It was a shame that Dean was so against this course of action, but John had faith that soon that his oldest would change his mind and join his old man. Dean looked strong—always a protector, always a warrior—and he walked in with a confidence that could even challenge John himself. Sam; on the other hand, was a bit more anxious. His eyes were darting around the room, resting only on Nadine once they found her.

"Thank God," He heard the girl whisper. "I thought that he was going to—"

"You're safe now." Sam assured her, a reassuring smile on his lips. John smirked. Sure, she was safe, but Sam wouldn't be.

_Showtime_, the voice called.

John couldn't help but agree as he faded into the crowd.

* * *

_** Author's Note: **__Next chapter, the boys come face-to-face with their father! Please review if you have a second! _


	4. Conflict

_** Author's Note: **__Summer is here and with it comes more time for me to update. I'm so sorry it took so long to get this chapter posted. Updates will be more frequent now. Please enjoy this chapter!_

* * *

Nadine was practically shivering by Sam's side and all the youngest Winchester could think that she was worried because of him. If he hadn't—

No, Dean was right. This wasn't his fault. His father had made his choice and Sam would keep saving people until they found someway to bring him back. He had to trust in Dean and Bobby, but more importantly, he had to trust in himself. The vision of Nadine's death would not come to pass, not while Sam was still breathing. Too many people had died before his eyes and he refused to be powerless this time. He would keep this young woman safe and he would find a way to free John.

He had to.

"You boys gonna tell me what the hell is going on?" Despite the fear that was visible on her face, Nadine's voice was schooled. Bobby had informed them that she was relatively new to hunting on her own, but Sam recognized a hidden strength within her. She wasn't a fool—she could tell that bad things were appearing on the horizon. In the driver's seat, Dean gripped the steering wheel a bit tighter, but an outside observer wouldn't have noticed this. His brother was stressed—had been stressed ever since they went on the run from their father—and he didn't share things easily with anyone now for fear it would somehow reach their father's ears. "Bobby?"

"John's gone rogue." Bobby replied gruffly and Nadine's eyes widened at that. It was rare, but sometimes hunters snapped and went rogue—they began to kill whomever they came across in some delusional quest to save everyone. It was the closest thing to the truth in John's sense, even though he wasn't trying to kill everyone.

Just Sam and anyone who tried to help him.

"Rogue?" Nadine echoed. "Jesus." She cursed softly, shaking her head in dismay. "So, now what?"

"We're gonna take you to a safe spot where we can—"

"Dean!" Sam shouted as the headlights illuminated a man standing the middle of the dirt road, a truck parked behind him. Quickly, his older brother slammed on the brakes and the Impala squealed as she came to a sudden stop, just a few feet from where the figure stood. "Dad."

"Hello, boys," John said with a lazy grin on his face. He twirled a gun in his hands with an easy confidence. The eldest Winchester's gaze rested on Sam, sitting in the passenger's seat. The youngest Winchester stiffened and he could hear Dean's muttered curses. "Let's talk, shall we?" John looked different since the last time they had seen him. He had a wild look in his eyes and he swayed a bit where he stood, almost as if he was experiencing too much of a caffeine rush. Dark bags hung under his eyes, though he didn't seem to be tired in the least.

"What do we—?" Nadine began, but Sam knew. He reached for the door and was out of the car before Dean could even attempt to stop him. Raising his hands up as John pointed the gun at him, the youngest Winchester forced his expression to remain neutral.

"Hey, Dad." His voice was muted and full of sadness. After all this time, he had foolishly thought that maybe something had changed, that maybe they could work this out. John's bloodshot eyes disagreed and it was with disdain that he glanced at his youngest son.

"Sam," His father drawled. Then suddenly, the gun went to face Dean as the eldest sibling also got of the car. "Make a move and I'll—"

"What are you going to do, Dad?" Dean challenged, his voice cocky, but his eyes betrayed him. He was scared on some level and why shouldn't he be? This was the man that had taught them everything. He knew all their tricks and he knew all of their hiding places. They had only been able to stay away from John this long enough because he had let them get away. "Shoot me?"

"If I have to," John replied calmly. Then, the gun pointed at Bobby as the gruff family friend also got out of the car, Nadine by his side. "Singer. Last time we met, you put a bullet in me, you bastard." John smirked and chuckled dryly as if the event had been a fond memory for all parties.

"This ain't you," Bobby insisted. "Look at you, John, you're threatening your boys."

"I'm just doing what needs to be done," John replied calmly. "I mean, c'mon! Sam sees visions of the future for God's sake!" Nadine stiffened and the eldest Winchester smiled broadly at her reaction. "Didn't know that, did you? Sammy here is a regular freak." Sam's hand tensed on his gun and he could see his brother had done the same. They were ready if things went south.

"John—" Bobby attempted, only for their father to sigh dramatically.

"Would you just shut up, Singer? There's nothing you can say that will change anything."

"But Dad—" Sam protested.

"So, how does it all end, Sam?" John questioned. "I mean, for the girl. You've seen her future, right?" Nadine's frightened eyes locked onto Sam's and the youngest Winchester looked away. "So, she dies, does she? And you thought you could save her from me?" With that remark said, John laughed full and deep and stepped towards the youngest Winchester.

That was the breaking point for Dean. Within seconds, the eldest Winchester had his gun out and pressed against John's back.

"Stay the hell away from my brother." The eldest Winchester brother growled.

"You choose the freak over me?" John questioned, astonishment coloring his tone.

"He's not the freak," Dean retorted hotly. "You are."

And that's when all hell broke loose.

Within seconds, John had managed to twist Dean's hand force him to drop the gun before slamming him into the hood of the Impala. Nadine had her gun out, but after a quick grin at Sam, John faced her and shot her point-blank in the head. She stood on her feet for a few seconds, swaying as blood rolled down her cheeks, like a river of tears. Then, she was down on the cement, eyes unseeing. Bobby returned fire with his own gun, but John chuckled dryly. Sam managed to pull Dean behind the Impala and his slightly groggy brother stared up at him with uncomprehending eyes. That was to be expected—their father had slammed his head down pretty hard.

"I'll see you soon, Sammy!" His father called cheerfully as the gunshots slowed and the next thing the youngest Winchester knew, their father's familiar engine started up.

And then all was silent.

"Sam, you okay?" Bobby were there, concerned evident on his expression, but Sam couldn't bring himself to speak. He had wanted to save Nadine and that was why he had insisted on picking her up. Yet, she was dead anyways. How many people would die because of him? How many pairs of lifeless eyes would stare up at him until it broke him? "Sam!"

"I'm fine," His voice was hoarse though he didn't know why. To be honest, he didn't really care. "Dean hit his head."

"It's a concussion," Bobby replied authoritatively. "He'll be alright. But we need to move before—"

Sirens began to fill the air. Sam nodded and helped his brother into the passenger's seat as Bobby took his place at the wheel. Climbing into the back, he helped reassure his older brother that everything was going to be okay and that, yes, he had to stay awake.

On the inside though, Sam could feel himself splintering apart.

* * *

_**Author's Note: **__I hope you enjoyed this chapter! It's a bit on the short side, but I needed to get the ball rolling again. Please review if you have a second! Thanks! _


End file.
